Corn cutting machine



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CORN CUTTING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18. 1940 23% Bg ma y HTTOPA/y's Oct. Z6, 1943. R. COVER CORN CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 194C 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 sheets-sheet' 4 Filed Dec 18, 1940 R. COVER CORN CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18. 1940 Oct. 26, 1943.

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R. covER 2,332,894 CORN CUTTING MACHINE Filed nec. 1a. 1940 '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 77 I6 ,f M

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R" y Q M M C 7g y Oct. 26, 1943. R, covER CORN CUTTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 18, 1940 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 u|lF\\ Iva/Enf To@ www ,629@ HrroR/VEMS Patented Oct. 26, 1943 UNTEDfaSTl-TES PATENT o rfilcr.l N

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o, lLalph'Covetr,` Westminster, `Md. Applicaiionfnecember 18,1940, serial No. 37o-,703 2 solaires! (C1. 1307-9.)4

l The invention relates generally tomachines for cutting green cornkernels from the voobs on which they areg-rowmand it more particularly seeks to provide certain new and useful improvements in the corn holding and centering devicesl disclosed inthelUnited States Letters Patent 2,001,457' issued `to-'l'ra'rrk Douthitt. on May`l4,*]i935. l l -l `In theparticular machine mentionedlthere `is included anelongated "frame,` a cutter head mounted at each end of the frameftwo sets vof 'corn ear clamping or holding devices mounted sive corn ears into said' devices; andmeansifor Y l effecting an alternate opening and closing of the clamping devices in timedlrelation" to the pusher movements lsol that the insertion of successive corn ears canbe effected:H Thel oo`rn-ear`` clamping andI centering devices are' in the nature of opposed, `corn ear gripping and-positioningblades or4 arms, and inthe patented-machine `mentioned Ythe clamping blades or arms'are yieldablyf urged tov/ard each ctherby spring"'.actuated linkage andarepositively'separated by a reciprocating caml member only during thejbrief` interval Ain the cyclel of operation'allotted toitheinsertion of corn ears between/said `blades or arms. No `meansareI provided in-that machine for positively holding the blades or arms in centered: `relation at all times, and it has been found that as a result of spring fatigue/jor `under unevenapplication orlateral pressures orA stresses, the corn eariclamping devices have beenfree to wobble or move `out of perfect alignment with 'the-cutting -devices at times, with the result that'uneven cutting of the corn iseflected. It is the purpose gaging member positioning links havinga coml ofthe present invention to remedy this-problem yof uneven cutting and toassure perfect center ingof the corn ear] clamping devicesand the corn ears clamped therein at all times: f

`It is, therefore, anobjectof the-A present invention to provide an improved "corn` cutting machine of the character statedin *which is 4in'- cluded'novelmeans for positively and constantly holdi'rigthe corn earclamping devicesin proper alignment withthe, cul'fing.'devices,"V o

V`Another"object` of the inventiongils to provide animproved machine. of ,the character stated' in which each cornI ear clamping devicelincludes opposing corn ear engaging members and en- `mon connection in a xedly disposed guide slot effective to prevent. said members from at any time assuming unevenly spaced `relations with respeet to the axis on which corn ears are to be centered.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide novel `means for effecting alternate opening and closing ofv the corn ear clamping` or holding and centering devices `at the respective ends of the machine.

Another object of` the invention is tol provide novel means for causing the corn ear clamping devices to` dwell for a short interval in the open or separated position, thereby to make certain that corn ears deposited betweenthe opposed clamping `devices will lie at rest before said devices move together to perform their corn ear centering and clamping function.

Witli the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter` appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by following `the detailed description, the appended claims, and the several views illustrated inthe accompanying drawings,

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View illustrating" the improved machine, the corn ear feeder chute vand feeder` plate being removed. l

Figure 2.is a side elevation of the machine, the side. coverl plate being removed and parts broken away. n U .1' Figures. 3, 4 and 51 are enlarged fragmentary vertical. cross sections taken respectively on the lines 3I-3, 4,4, and 5--5 on Figurev 1.

Figure 6 isa view similar to Figure 5 and shows the corn. ear clamping and centering members in the closed or corn ear `clamping andr centering position.`

Figure 7 is a fragmentaryvertical longitudinal section-takenA on the lineY 'l--1 on Figure 4.

Figure 8 isa detail side elevation and part` lon,- gitudnal sectional View illustrating the corn ear clamping andfflifting members comprising `one side portion of one of thecorn ear clamping'.,an centering sets. a l 1 l Figure 9zis afragmentary side elevation illustrating themeans for causing the vcornearcl'amp-i ing devices toLdwelrin the openposition, parts beingbroken away `and in section, and the. dwell effecting'springA plunger being` illustrated at. the 4positionlcf maximum compression of the plunger spring. f l l Figure'f 10 is an. enlarged' fragmentary view 2 c c. "i

similar to Figure 9 and illustrating the plunger spring fully expanded and the plunger about to become disengaged.

The machine herein disclosed as an example of embodiment of the invention includes a base 5, and upon this base is mounted a head or body 6 including longitudinally extended end portions 1, and which is provided with an opening 8 through which access may be had to the interior of the headvand which is normally closed by a door 9. Y j

At each end 1 of the head there is mounted a bracket or casing I6 on which a cutter unit I2 is and slightly beyond the cutting blades of that cutter head.

All of the parts hereinbefore described are shownA and described in U. S. Letters Patent 2,001,457 issued to Frank W. Douthitt on May 14, 1935, and additionally detailed description of these specic structures and the operation thereof is thought to be unnecessary.

A top plate 33 extends from end to end along each. side at the top of the frame, and these top plates are laterally spaced to provide an intervening opening dened by mounting ledges l formed at the innermost edges of the respective removably mounted.k Individual ears of corn are alternately forced through these cutter units as hereinafter described for the purpose of4 cutting the kernels of the green corn from the cobs about which they grew. See Figures 1 and 2. f

A drive motor I3 is xed t0 the framein the position illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings with the drive-shaft thereof` disposed horizontally. f The motor drive-shaft carries, or is connected in drive relation `with a worm gear I4,

which meshes witha worm wheel I5, mounted upon a vertically disposed shaft I6 rotatable in suitable bearings in a iixedly mounted casing I1. See Figures 2, 3, and 4 of the drawings.Av c

At its upper end the shaft I6 carries a crank I S equipped with an upwardly directed roller` I9 engageable in an elongated slot 20 formed in-a lower cross-headv 2l which is longitudinally slidable on guide rods 22 fixed in parallel spaced relation in the frame-head 6.

"It will be observed by` reference to Figure 3 of the drawings that the lower cross-head 2I carries a vertically disposed shaft 23 which is rotatable on suitable bearings 24 provided therefor in the cross-head, and this shaft 23 has affixed vthereto a small spur-gear 25 which meshes with a longitudinal -rack 25 i'lxedlyy supported in `the frame-head 6 and a larger spur-gear 21 which meshes with a longitudinal rack-28 which is secured to the under surface of a second-or upper cross-head 29 longitudinallyslidable -on guide 'rods 33 fixedly mounted-in the head 6 and disposed directly above thc previously mentioned guide rods 22. See Figures 2, 3, and`4 of the drawings.V

When the motor I3 is being operated, the rotating crank equipment I8, I9 impartsreciprocatory movement to the lower cross-head2l and, as Vthis cross-head moves along the stationary rack 26, the rack imparts rotation to the small `spurgear 25 which is transmitted through the vertical shaft 23 to the larger spur gear 21 at the upper end of this shaft. The rotating gear 21 imparts longitudinal movement to the rack 28 which is aiiixed to the cross-head 29, and in this manner the upper and lower cross-heads 2I and k29 are caused to reciprocate together. It will be apparent,` however, that, because of the relative sizes of the gears 25 and 21, the upper cross-head is caused to move much'more rapidly than the lower cross-head 2l.

Theupper cross-headv 29 is provided with a.

'central standard or upward projection 3l to which are aiiixed longitudinallydirected corn earpusher rods 432.` One `such pusher rod extends from the standard 3I toward each cutter head I2, and these rods are axiallyy aligned with the cutter'knives with which ,thesey heads are equipped. The rods 32 are of such length that,

when thecross-head 29 `is moved itsmaximum distance toward a given cutter head I2, therespective rodl 32 will have moved Aaxially through top plates 33 in the manner best illustrated in Figures 1, 5 and 6 of the drawings. Two mounting brackets 35 are mounted in longitudinally spaced relation at the respective ends of each ledge 34, said` brackets being secured as at 36 upon said ledges. Thus mounted, the opposed pairs of brackets 35 provide an intervening center space in the Vmanner .best illustrated in Figure 1. At its end nearest the respective end 1 of the frame, eachy bracket 35 is equipped with an inwardly extended bearing arm 31. Each bracket is provided at its opposite end with an inwardly extended bearing arm 3B. A pivot pin 39 is mountedin each bearing arm 31, and a pivot pin 40 is rockably mounted in each bearing arm 38. The pivot pins 39 and 40 of oppositelydisposed brackets 35 serve to pivotally support opposed corn ear clamping members and associated corn ear supporting member which together serve `to clamp and position corn ears in centeredy relationto the cutting knives at the respective endof the machine. Y

Eachopposed set of` corn ear clamping and supporting members includes two opposed clamping members-and two opposed supporting and centering members, one Vsuch supporting member being; associated with each clamping member, and each clamping member v4| has an upper curved corn ear receiving surface 42, an inner concavecorn engagingA clamping surface 43, and a pairv of mounting arms 44 which are pivotally supported on therespective pivot pins 39 and 40. .,Eachlamp member 4I is cut out longitudinally as at V45Std position and permit independent movement ofthe associated corn ear supporting or lifting member 46 which is pivotally supported at one end as at 41 on the respective pivot pin 39 and is ji-lxed at its opposite end to the pivot pin V4!) through the medium of a crank member 48j. lThus mounted, Y each associated pair` of clamping element r4I yand lifter member 46 is mounted for rocking independently about common axes. Y Y .l

Another rocker pin is rockably mounted in each bearing arm 378 and has an actuator crank .arm 50ufixed thereon. VVAV second lcrank member. 5I is-'iixed upon each rocker pin V49 and islinkconnected as at 52 with a long lcrank portion-extended from vone arm 44 of the respective corn ear clamping member 4I. l' Ihis s arr 1ecrank member 5I is link-connectedasrat 54 at another point Witha short crank member 55'ixed tothe pivot pin 40. Thus it will'be obv'ious'that, as the actuator Vcrankjarmci'a() is oscillatedit will rock the pin 49r`and impart oscillation to the crank arm 5I aijxed thereto, and the movement of the crank` 5Ir will be'transmittedtlriroughjthe` "geteste theyfeenaeer, `the demping .member and the-eup- @traag member move diirererftiaiiy in `et:eeft-ing `"tl'xe clamping'and supporting *of the corn `ears in centered frelation to "the: respective ycutter `heads;` *The rpurpose `-`and 'effect ffof thisv differential "movement of the Vclamping andl `support-ing :elements is described Vin detail in theiDoutlitt "Patent 127,001,457 liereinbefore referred 4to and l need n'otb'e elaborated upon herein.

In the ace intervening the longitudinal ,l brackets `3 5'fat -one side r,of the machinefthere is mounted a bracketmemberiG which is v'secured as^ati51 to vthe respective top plate 33; "The bracket "56 includes a footportion iddepressed intheopening between the rep putes afs, and l t. l "a *bearingmelnber "59 is secured as at "60 toisaid `foot` portion. The 'bearing member-'59 `forms a ""rilgidfsupportfor *one end fofeach yof "the rocker l"pins 49 which project longitudinallylfromithe @corn -ear clamping `and supporting Veq pments that Apart-renier eidefef the machinerie the manner hereinbefore described.` Aisimila'r lbearuing-imeni'ber `6| isp'rovided 'for theprojec'ting *rocker Apins f4!! of theycor'n ear lclam-ping iand 4supportingr elements fat Ithe opposite side of the lman "fohine, and this bearing member is secured as at 612 toa foot portion 63 4depending "from `a bracket '64 secured 'as at l65 vupon the opposite vtop '-plate 133; See Figures l, 3, `and 4 of the drawings.

i The bracket-56 includesaraised cross bearing y.

Sliirrwhichfasl'iaft61 is rockably mounted.. The bracket 56 also includes two pairs of depending lugs 68 which `support tWo lpivot pins 69 lon each of Iwhich is mounted .oneend of a depressing member or tappet 1U. l Each Vof the tappets 1l)` .Y

is bifurcated at its free end and carries atappet roller `1I `which engages Ithe upper surface of lowerend'and carries twospacedrollers 1'3. l :See

Figures@` 3,1and4. The rollers 13 are alternately engaged `by actuatormembers `14 `fixed as at 15 -yieldablyfnoldig-the com 'ear clampingl elements ""4'I and the associated supporti'ngand fcentering members 46 against the corn ears; i

A cover 90 preferablyisprovided `forifacilitating the feeding of `corn Iears tofthelcorn vear clamping and centering equipment Sat each `end l of Ithe lin'aclfiine. Y This cover iislsub'stantiallythe to one [side of 4the lower cross-head 2l, in the `manner best illustrated inliiiguresgly, and i of thegdrawingsf The vcrank 12 vextends through anaperture 16 `in the top `plate 33 at lthatsidez of the machine.

`'A'c'r ss-head"1:1 is fixed to the other extended end of the shaft 61 and has its ends bifurcated and equipped with tappet rollers 18 which alternately engage the tappet levers 10 as the crosshead 11`is rocked by movement of the shaft 61. See Figures 1 to 4 and '1.

The bracket 56 is equipped with vertically disposed slotways 19, each disposed above and intersecting the axis of the rods 32, or in other Words the line on which the corn ears are fed in the centered relation to the cutter heads. yEach slotway has a roller 80 slidably guided therein and mounted on a pin which projects at its ends from the slot and is connected with the upper end of a link 82 connected at its lower end as at 83 with the actuator arms 5U not engaged by tappet same in construction and purpose fas the cover` illustrated `in ythe Douthitt IPa'ten-t Z500-1,457` eX- cept for-'the fact that itlmay be centrally longitudinally hinged as at 92 to enable the raising of Aone side thereof to renderaccessibleportions of the mechanism underlying l'the same. l

` When -the'machine isin operatiomthe cross- `heads `129 and l2 1 are reciprocatedfalong rthe guide rods `3l) and 22, the stroke of movement of the uppercross-hea'd 29 :being longer and thetspeed Aor movement Aof vthis cross-head more rapid than that fof the loWervross-head 2| as hereinbefore fstated; -As the upper cross-head `moves to one limit l'of its reciprocation, the `pusher rod 32', movable with thecross-head toward that end `of the machine, will engager aV-corn ear clamped and `centered ybetween thei opposed members 4I V,and

-46 at that end of the machine and will force 'the ear from the members "4| and 46 and through fthe `respective cutter head.; lAs the lower lcrosshead reaches `the-limit of itsreciprocation in lthat .particular` direction, the respective yactuator,

member 14 willengage the opposed 'roller 13 and `rock the cross-'headi11 so that the roller "18 'at ythe trailing lend thereof. will be depressed -so as to engage and Vdepress the tappet lever 10 `atthe end 'of the `machine opposite the "end supporting the then eifective cutter vhead; `Depression. of

, this tappet will effect a depression of both actuator brank'armsi `at that end of the machine Vbecause of the link-connections 82"and i84, and since the links 482 andf84 `are positivelycom nected through the medium 4of the pin 8I`, which is guided inthe bracket slotway'19, a like degree ofioscillation of the arms 50 is vpositivelyeffected -and assured It-will be'understoodthat oscillation of the arms 5D limparts `movement tothe respective corn ear clamping and centering linembers 4| and 46 and,` as the? arms 50 are depressed,

these members will rbe given movement of sepa-4 ration so that a corn ear can `be received `there- `fbetween. As 'the crossheadsA 2| `and ,219 move in the opposite direction, the previously depressed actuator arms "56 will-be moved `up by the spring 81,:and Athe `corn earclamping and .centering members l 4| and `lili? will be Vyieldably `pressed against the sides of the Corn ear to hold it in perfectly centered relation to the respective pusher rods 32 and the cutting knives of the respective cutter head I2. Upon continued reverse movement of the cross heads, the corn ear thus clamped will be forced out of the clamping and centering members 4i and 46 and through the respective cutter head l2, and the opposite actuator member 14 will function inthe manner previously described to open the clamping and centering elements 4i and 46 at the opposite end of the machine.

In Figures 9 andilO of the drawings have been illustrated novel means for causing the corn ear clamping devices to dwell for ashort interval in the open or separated position, thereby to make certain that corn ears deposited between the opposed clamping devices will lie at rest before said devices move together to perform their corn ear centering and clamping function. In this slight modification of the'invention each actuator member 14a is equipped at its upper end With a head l .93 havngyaplunser stem; receiving ibore' in fits nnelfem,v anda plunger'receiving counterlever arm 12a.

said like amount of movement of retraction, the Y springl 98 again projects the plunger 9B to its bore 95 extending throughits other or inner. end. Aplunger 96 is slidablev in 'and extended from the counterbore `andLrries an enlarged tappet head 91. yThe plunger is projected vaylimited distance from thehead 93 by aY compression spring 98, and the extent of this projection is determined byk adjustable `abutnflent andsecuring nuts 1,99. Stop pins .lullv limit swinging movementfof the crank member'I2a.fv v l It will be obvious that as each actuator member 14a moves :in rat given direction ,for engaging the respective lever roller 'I3a to effect an obening or ,separation of thefcorn ear clamping devices as hereinbefore described, theplunger head 91 will ,engage Yand move said roller until the -lever .1221 strikes rthe respective' stop pin |00, at

which time the 'cornear clamping devices; will v. have reached their fully opened or separatedcony dition. Said ,member 14 continues to move a I. slight distance before commencing its. retraction 1 and duringthiscontinued movement. the plunger v,.ispressed back against the spring andsaid continued movement and also a like amount .of move-A ment of retraction -of the member 'I-'la takes place without'eiecting `any change in position of the -It will beobvious that during normal position illustrated in' Figure 10, and by 1 providing this yieldable plunger .equipment the lever arm 'I2a and the corn ear clamping devices actuated thereby are permitted to dwell during l the interval referred to in the open or separated condition of said devices. It is tobe understood -of course that the plunger springs S8.v have a value for dominating the spring devices constantly tending to close said clamping devices. v

It is to be understood that the dimensionsand specic arrangements of the cooperating elements (may be. variously alteredv to accommodate different conditions of use Without departing from the scope of, the invention as defined in the appended claims. Y.. w- .I :rk

, Having thus described the invention, what I claim as Vnew andfdesire to secure by Letters- Patent isy Y. l. l. Y

1. In a machine for cutting4 corn wherein is provided corn cutting means and means for-forcing corn ears longitudinally to and through the cutting means; means for receivingand holding corn ears centeredwith relation to-thecutting means and includingv opposed separableclampng elements and opposed independently movable supporting members one `associated with each said element and lcooperating with said elements in receiving and k.holding centered said corn ears, Yand means for positively causing each movement of a given clamping element or supporting memf ber toward yorfrom its opposed companion element or member to be accompanied by an identical degree of movement in an opposite direction of saidA opposed companion element or member whereby centered relation between said elements and members and theline of feeding movement of thevcorn ears lalways will be maintained, said Y last named means including a fixed bracket havmeans and including opposed separable clamping elements for laterally centering the ear and indei pendent opposed supporting members for vertically centering the ear, means including an actuator arm associated with each pair of clamping elements and supporting members associated therewith imparting like movements to each member of the pair, said means for forcing ears longitudinally including a pusher member passing longitudinally between said supporting members,. linkage means extending across the vertical plane of rreciprocation of the'pusher and connecting said actuator arms to cause each movement .of one actuator to be accompanied by a movement of like degree in the opposite direction of the other of said actuators whereby earsof different sizes are supported and guided by said clamping elements and supporting members so as to be centered laterally and vertically relative to the cutting means, means for positively separating-the clamping elements and spring means for yieldingly moving the clamping elements and 'supporting' members toward each other. f

RALPH COVER. 

